How to reduce travel stress this busy holiday season

Experts are urging travellers to prepare for busy airports this holiday season as many people are travelling at Christmas for the first time since the pandemic started.

At least one expert says the airline industry has recovered from many of the hiccups passengers saw at airports over the summer, but there could still be delays.

“Are the problems behind us? I’d say for the most part yes, but we still are looking at situations in the Canadian airport environment where congestion and flight delays might still be part of what consumers will see,” said John Gradek, a lecturer on aviation and supply chain management at McGill University in Montreal.

“Come volume, and come heavy baggage loads, and come heavy passenger counts, the staff that is fairly new will be under very, very high degrees of stress.”

Ultimately, Gradek says your best bet is to give yourself lots of time and be prepared for delays.

“Patience is going to be the operative word for Christmas.”

It’s a sentiment echoed by Steve Maybee of Edmonton Airports.

“It’s best to get to the airport early,” he said.

“The airport does continue running in poor weather. Even if the highways are bad, we’re still operating.”

YEG Edmonton International Airport.

Maybee says the Edmonton airport is starting to see passenger numbers return to pre-pandemic levels.

“A regular travel day is right in that 6-7,000 departing passengers a day; over Christmas we expect that number to be around the 9-10,000 range.”

“The morning peak is very busy, so if you’re travelling in the morning hours between 7 and 10 in the morning, that tends to be a really busy time, so expect a lot of travellers and passengers.”

He says airport staff are projecting Dec. 22 and 23 will be the busiest travel days of the year, because Christmas falls on a weekend this year.

Canadian Air Transport Security Authority (CATSA) is also offering some tips for reducing your holiday travel stress, including making sure all the liquids packed in your carry-on are less than 100 ml and all liquids must be able to fit in a clear, one litre bag.

There are also some holiday-specific items to be aware of.

“Don’t wrap your gifts. It’s the holiday season which means gifts, leave them unwrapped for the carry-on bags,” Sandra Alvarez of CATSA said.

Certain toys are also not allowed in carry-on if they’re over the 100 ml limit.

“A popular toy called Orbeez. They’re little balls, they’re kind of tactile toys, but they’re actually filled with a gel-like substance, so this also would not meet that volume restriction of 100 ml,” she said.

Orbeez beads

She added that granular substances, such as baby powder or spices, are also subject to restrictions.

“A lot of toys or stuffed animals are filled with a sand-like or granular substance on the bottom so they can sit upright, so all of these would have to be under 350 ml or less, which is more or less the size of a pop can. If it’s more than that, it will not be permitted in a carry-on and it will have to go in your check baggage.”

For more information on carry-on restrictions, visit the CATSA website. 

With files from CTV News Edmonton's David Ewasuk.